The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) workers union continued with their hunger strike on the 41st day, demanding the officials to fulfil their long-awaited demands.
The workers have been on a strike since January 19 demanding to increase their pension, jobs on compassionate grounds and clearing of arrears. Even after 40 days since the strike started, none of the demands have been fulfilled. Presently, four workers are undergoing treatment at Sadar Hospital.
“The Government is least bothered about us. The workers want, the officials to give us in writing that all the six major demands will be fulfilled which have been lingering for long and only after the assurance, workers will return to work,” said Naresh Ram, chairperson of RMC workers union.
The protestors are not ready to get back to work unless their demands are fulfilled, especially on the matter of appointing candidates on compassionate grounds. “We are going to meet the department Secretary soon and will put all our demands. We hope that our demands are fulfilled and all these workers get relieve. The officials are presently playing blame game and are not ready to take the responsibility,” added Ram.
There are seven major demands of RMC workers union which include increase in pension, promotion, grade payment, clearing the arrears and job on compassionate ground. “On January 23, the strike was withdrawn. We have written document with us. The matter has been sorted,” said PRO, RMC, Naresh Sinha.
On the other hand, workers are reluctant and are not ready to call off the strike until all their major demands are fulfilled. “My father died in November 2013, he was working in RMC. After serving for 30 years, now after his death the matter is still lingering. None of us have been appointed on compassionate ground,” said Ranjit Kumar, a protester.
Notably, the appointments on compassionate ground have been stopped since 2011, leaving all the family members of the deceased in dilemma. “The officials are playing the blame game, when we put our demands before RMC, the officials tell us to contact the Government on the matter as nothing is in their hands,” said another protester, Satyendra Singh.
